India Is Trying to Stop the Sale of Hundreds of Ancient Gems Associated With the Buddha
The 300 sacred jewels are part of a larger trove found in India in 1898. They’re scheduled to be sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong, where bidding will start at roughly $1.3 million
See for Yourself One of the World’s Rarest Red Diamonds at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum
Unraveling the surprising science that gives colorful diamonds their special allure
Largest Diamond Since 1905 Unearthed by Miners in Botswana
Volcanic eruptions long ago brought the 2,492-carat diamond—the latest in a string of stunning discoveries over the last decade—to the surface
Discover the Special Meaning Behind Kamala Harris’ Pearls
The vice president, who will give a speech at the Democratic National Convention to accept the presidential nomination Thursday night, often wears jewelry connected to her historically Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha
French Tourist Finds 7.46-Carat Diamond at Arkansas State Park
Julien Navas plans to have the brown gem split into two pieces so he can give half to his fiancée and half to his daughter
How a Smithsonian Curator Discovered the Hope Diamond’s Many Secrets
The storied past of the 45.52-carat sapphire-blue gemstone hails back to the days before the French Revolution
Geologists Unravel the Mysteries of Australia’s Rare Pink Diamonds
The dazzling, blush-colored gems likely emerged from Earth’s mantle some 1.3 billion years ago, when a supercontinent named Nuna broke up, study suggests
Girl Celebrating 7th Birthday Finds 2.95-Carat Diamond
Aspen Brown stumbled upon the pea-sized, golden-brown gem while visiting an Arkansas park
What Happened to the Treasure Nazis Buried in This Dutch Village?
The Dutch National Archives released a map supposedly leading to the trove of jewelry, coins and precious stones in January
Archaeologists Find 2,000-Year-Old Gemstones in Drain Beneath a Roman Bathhouse
The stones, known as intaglios, likely fell from the rings of wealthy bathers
You Can Own a Piece of Forrest Fenn’s Treasure
The valuable artifacts, hidden in the Rocky Mountains for more than a decade, are going up for auction
Treasure Hunter Unearths 2.38-Carat ‘Frankenstone’ Diamond
Adam Hardin discovered the impressive brown gem at an Arkansas state park
Did Ancient Nomads Seize Control of a Roman Emerald Mine in Egypt?
Recent excavations suggest the Blemmyes assumed power of the Sikait mining site between the fourth and sixth centuries C.E.
A Huge Black Diamond, Purportedly From Outer Space, Is Now Up for Sale
The gem known as the ‘Enigma’ is expected to fetch around $7 million at auction, though experts are skeptical of its cosmic origin
Ancient Amethyst Ring Found in Israel May Have Been Worn to Ward Off Hangovers
Found near a Byzantine-era winery, the jewelry likely belonged to a wealthy, high-status individual
Silver Medieval Seal Featuring Engraved Roman Gem Unearthed in England
The rare artifact depicts war god Mars and Victoria, the mythological personification of victory
Earth’s Oldest Minerals Hold Clues About the Likely Start of Plate Tectonics
New research reveals how one of Earth’s defining geologic features likely formed—and set the stage for the emergence of life
How the World’s Largest Aquamarine Gem Came to Be
The Dom Pedro Aquamarine is one of the largest mineral crystals found inside Earth’s rocks
How ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Was Filmed at the Smithsonian
The blockbuster saw the superhero working as a museum anthropologist. But how accurate was its depiction of the Institution at the time?
Why Scientists Find Snowflakes Cool
Mineralogists study snowflakes to learn more about how water in its solid phase behaves
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